Cultural Landscape Report for Dorchester Heights/Thomas Park at Boston National Historical Park, Vols 1 and 2

Desilets, Danielle; Zaitzevsky, Cynthia

Located in the central portion of South Boston on the summit of Telegraph Hill, the westernmost of the twin hills that comprise Dorchester Heights, the 5.43-acre Dorchester Heights National Historic Site consists of the Dorchester Heights Monument and a parcel called Thomas Park. The east-west aligned oval park is surrounded by Thomas Park Street which is set between G and Old Harbor Streets to the east and west, respectively. The South Boston High School is adjacent to the park on the east side. The site is surrounded by a 40-acre residential neighborhood. The location known today as Dorchester Heights National Historic Site is nationally significant because it was here that, under the orders of General George Washington, American colonists rapidly erected fortifications on the night of March 4, 1776. This accomplishment helped lead to the British evacuation of the Town of Boston—an important victory in the colonial fight for independence. Dorchester Heights also is a significant commemorative site, the centerpiece of which is the Dorchester Heights Monument, and was part of a national movement of the 1800s and early 1900s to monumentalize and memorialize the American Revolution. Thomas Park, which occupies the western half of the original hill, is significant as an example of an effort by local residents to provide open public space in a rapidly expanding urban neighborhood. This report includes a detailed site history, a narrative and graphic description of existing conditions (2020), an analysis of the landscape and its features employing National Register of Historic Places criteria and standards and finally a treatment plan to guide future work regarding preservation of the cultural landscape.

Cultural Landscape Report for Dorchester Heights/Thomas Park at Boston National Historical Park, Vols 1 and 2

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